Clytemnestra

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2023

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Summary

Background

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 1, Chapters 1-5

Part 2, Chapters 6-14

Part 3, Chapters 15-24

Part 4, Chapters 25-29

Part 5, Chapters 30-35

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

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Discussion Questions

Part 1, Chapters 1-5Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Part 1, Chapter 1 Summary: “Prey”

The chapter begins with Clytemnestra looking down into a ravine called Ceadas, a place of death where Spartans dispose of criminals and weak babies. She notes the absence of bodies, which contrasts with her childhood memories of the gorge being filled with death and violence. Clytemnestra’s journey through the forest is fraught with danger, and she is acutely aware of being followed. She contemplates her recent escape from the palace and her mother, who sat glowing in the throne room. She also recalls shaving her head and attempting to train with Spartan boys, an act that led to her mother to punish her by withholding food.

As Clytemnestra navigates the terrain, she encounters a deer and initially mistakes it for a threat. When she is threatened by a lynx, the intense encounter leaves her injured, but she skillfully uses her bow and arrows and finally manages to wound the lynx with her dagger. In Clytemnestra’s final moments with the lynx, she observes the surprise and sadness in its eyes. She reflects on the nature of the gods, recalling her father’s dismissal of the divine and her mother’s belief that the secrets of the gods are hidden in nature. Now, she seeks refuge in a cave that provides a momentary shelter from the dangers outside. She prepares to return home, anticipating her mother’s pride in her hunt despite the physical and emotional toll of her journey.

Part 1, Chapter 2 Summary: “One Girl Wins and the Other Loses”

Clytemnestra and her sister Helen race through olive and fig groves, with Clytemnestra leading and Helen following. Clytemnestra sports cuts and bruises due to her fearless and active lifestyle. The race concludes, and the sisters enjoy a swim in the Eurotas River. Clytemnestra is adventurous and bold, while Helen is more cautious and hesitant. Despite these differences, they share a close bond, and Helen looks up to Clytemnestra.

They also train at the gymnasium, where they participate in various athletic activities alongside other Spartan girls, adhering to the Spartan emphasis on developing strength and endurance. During the dance practice, Clytemnestra acts with independence while Helen desires to please others. Later, the sisters dine with their mother, Leda, and their younger siblings, sharing tales of valor and heroism. The narrative then describes a wrestling match in which a Spartan girl named Cynisca unexpectedly challenges Helen. Tension rises as Clytemnestra intervenes to protect her sister. The physical altercation between Clytemnestra and Cynisca is brutal and competitive, in accordance with Spartan cultural values.

Part 1, Chapter 3 Summary: “A King”

The atmosphere in Sparta becomes charged with anticipation due to the arrival of a significant guest. The palace is abuzz with preparations, and the servants are busy making everything look immaculate. The servants inform Clytemnestra that a king is expected for dinner. This news brings a sense of excitement to the family—particularly to Helen, who enjoys such visits. Clytemnestra, Helen, and their younger sister Timandra prepare for the guest’s arrival. Clytemnestra feels somewhat slighted by the idea that Helen might be the one considered for marriage. However, when Clytemnestra makes a dismissive comment about kings, Helen’s retort reveals Clytemnestra’s potential future as a queen.

The sisters attend their music class and practice a new song about the wrath of the goddess Artemis and the fate of those who dare to challenge the gods. The song focuses on the story of Actaeon. Clytemnestra and Helen’s voices blend beautifully during their performance, impressing their tutor. After the class, Leda summons Clytemnestra and shares a personal story about her own marriage to their father. Leda emphasizes the Spartan concept of marriage as a show of strength and the need for a wife to prove herself a worthy match for her husband.

The guest, King Tantalus of Maeonia, arrives at the dining hall. During dinner, he engages Helen in conversation, but his attention also drifts to Clytemnestra. Clytemnestra is drawn to Tantalus, and after dinner, she finds herself on the terrace with him. Their conversation reveals Tantalus’s perspective on beauty and resistance and results in a charged moment full of unspoken desires and the complexities of attraction and power.

Part 1, Chapter 4 Summary: “The Tales of Tantalus”

Clytemnestra finds herself increasingly entangled with Tantalus, the king of Maeonia. She attends to her duties in the megaron, or great central hall, alongside her father, King Tyndareus. There, she becomes involved in a discussion about a Spartan warrior’s misconduct and expresses herself with great wisdom. As time goes on, Clytemnestra’s fascination with Tantalus deepens. She is captivated by his touch, which she likens to “being touched by a star” (30). While she is lost in thoughts of him, her father, aware of the growing connection between her and Tantalus, asks about her feelings. She admits to her desire for Tantalus to extend his stay. Later, Clytemnestra and Tantalus spend time together by the river, and he shares stories of his travels and encounters with different cultures and myths. These tales captivate Clytemnestra and offer her a glimpse into a world beyond Sparta. Tantalus tells stories about the Hittites, Crete, Maeonia, and Colchis, painting pictures of these lands and their legends.

Clytemnestra reflects on her family dynamics and her observations of her parents’ relationship. She contemplates the complexities of love, power, and marriage, considering what it means to be a queen and the potential sacrifices involved. Amidst these reflections, Clytemnestra learns about an expedition that her brothers, Castor and Polydeuces, are set to join, which will be led by Jason of Thessaly. The mission’s goal is to retrieve the fabled Golden Fleece from Colchis, and Clytemnestra ponders the implications of their absence. An intimate encounter between Clytemnestra and Tantalus further cements their connection. As Clytemnestra awakens next to Tantalus, she contemplates her future and what it means to be a queen. She grapples with her feelings of belonging and identity, both as a Spartan and as a woman drawn to a foreign king.

Part 1, Chapter 5 Summary: “The Clever Cousin”

Clytemnestra’s wedding with Tantalus is rapidly approaching and is set to occur before her brothers, Castor and Polydeuces, depart for their expedition. King Tyndareus, Clytemnestra’s father, easily consents to the wedding, but Leda expresses some reluctance and questions Tantalus’s strength. Clytemnestra, defends Tantalus’s qualities, highlighting his cleverness and curiosity as forms of strength. As the preparations for the wedding continue, Leda warns her daughters that their cousin Penelope, along with their uncle, King Icarius, will be visiting. Penelope is a clever and observant young woman who is similar in age to Clytemnestra. The cousins had a close relationship in their youth, and Penelope’s arrival is anticipated with interest.

Penelope arrives at the palace and is warmly greeted by Clytemnestra and Helen. She appears changed since their last meeting and now has a more mature appearance. Upon learning of Clytemnestra’s impending marriage to Tantalus, Penelope expresses surprise but offers her congratulations. On the day of the wedding, the megaron is beautifully decorated and filled with Spartan nobility. Clytemnestra feels a mix of emotions about the significant changes occurring in her life. During the celebration, Castor and Polydeuces, along with Penelope, engage in a light-hearted conversation about marriage and relationships. Penelope’s cleverness is evident in her interactions, particularly when she challenges Castor’s views on marriage. Later, Clytemnestra expresses her reservations and unease about her brothers’ departure. She has a candid conversation with Castor, expressing her skepticism about the mission’s success and her concerns for their safety. As Clytemnestra and Helen watch their family members leave for their respective journeys, Clytemnestra is struck by the realization of the significant changes occurring in her life and the potential impact on her relationship with Helen.

Part 1, Chapters 1-5 Analysis

In the first part of Clytemnestra, the narrative covers themes centered around power dynamics, gender roles, cultural heritage, and personal agency, all of which are set against the backdrop of ancient Sparta’s harsh and militaristic society. The protagonist’s journey is marked by her struggle for autonomy within a world defined by stringent societal norms. Her defiance of traditional gender roles, as exemplified by her desire to train alongside Spartan boys, sets the tone for her character’s resilience and independence and foreshadows the dominant role she will play in her country’s politics in the years to come. These early experiences also reflect her internal conflict between her individual aspirations and the expectations imposed upon her as a Spartan woman.

It is important to note that the culture of ancient Sparta differed greatly from that of other Greek city-states, for unmarried Spartan girls were encouraged to participate in sports and physical training. The Spartan regimen for girls aimed to make them as fit as their brothers, even if they were not trained for combat. Activities such as running, wrestling, javelin and discus throwing, boxing, and even horseback riding were part of the training for women. This approach was rooted in the belief that physically strong women would bear healthier children, which was a central focus in Spartan society due to its emphasis on military prowess. Casati draws upon these distinct historical details to create her portrayal of Clytemnestra, for the character’s desire to train alongside Spartan boys underscores her defiance of traditional gender roles, casting her as a revolutionary figure within a broader, more culturally expansive context. Her resilience and independence, as depicted in these early experiences, reflect the conflict between her individual aspirations and the societal expectations that she must fulfill, and in this way, her early characterization highlights the nuanced roles held by women in Spartan society. Specifically, the emphasis on physical training in Spartan culture allows Casati to portray Clytemnestra as a product of a unique society that valued strength and resilience in women, albeit within the limitations of their roles as mothers and wives.

The dynamic between Clytemnestra and her sister Helen offers a study in contrasts. Clytemnestra’s boldness and assertiveness are juxtaposed with Helen’s more conventional femininity and compliance with societal norms, and their respective paths through the annals of myth and legend also reflect these differences. For example, Clytemnestra’s assertive nature and defiance of societal expectations pave the way for her eventual decision to murder Agamemnon and embrace the complex roles of queen and mother. Thus, these early depictions of Clytemnestra’s strength and independence foreshadow her capacity to take drastic actions later in life, when she becomes deeply driven by a blend of personal grievances and loss, fueling the novel’s focus on Vengeance, Fate, and the Pursuit of Justice.

Serving as a foil to Clytemnestra, Helen demonstrates a level of compliance and alignment with societal norms despite the power that her beauty wields, and this dynamic foreshadow her role in the Trojan War. Although Helen becomes a central figure in one of the most famous wars in mythology, she is often portrayed as a passive character whose actions are largely influenced by external factors and the decisions of others. This passivity, combined with her willingness to comply with societal expectations, contrasts with Clytemnestra’s assertiveness and hints at Helen’s eventual path as a character overcome by events beyond her control. In broader terms, these contrasting characterizations also reflect the varied experiences and roles of women in ancient Greek society. Women’s lives were often dictated by societal norms and expectations, but within these constraints, they managed to exert influence and navigate their circumstances in a variety of ways. Clytemnestra and Helen, as sisters with differing personalities and fates, embody this diversity and complexity.

The novel’s frequent references to other aspects of Greek mythology are designed to emphasize the whims of the gods; this pattern is implied in Casati’s inclusion of the song about Artemis and the story of Actaeon, which introduce the theme of divine wrath and fate. This motif resonates with Clytemnestra’s life, as she navigates a world where the whims of gods and the rigid structures of myth and legend significantly influence human lives. This theme is further accentuated through Clytemnestra’s inner reflections on the gods and her mother’s belief that their secrets are hidden in nature, for these concepts illustrate the deep-rooted influence of mythology in shaping individual and collective destinies.

Significantly, Clytemnestra’s interactions with her family provide the first hints of the theme of Moral Ambiguity and the Pursuit of Power, for as the protagonist finds herself courted by a powerful king, she must recalibrate her understanding of her own identity as a Spartan woman within the wider context of the political relationships that Sparta has with other city-states. Similarly, the narrative delves into the dynamics within the royal household, and the interactions between Clytemnestra, her mother Leda, and her siblings provide deeper insights into the values and expectations of Spartan society. For example, the wrestling match and the preparations for Tantalus’s arrival serve to depict the societal norms and cultural setting of ancient Sparta, which emphasizes the values of strength, courage, and resilience. These cultural details will shed light on the reasons for the characters’ actions as the novel progresses. Ultimately, Clytemnestra’s experiences throughout these chapters reflect the tension between her personal desires and the roles imposed upon her by society. Her eventual marriage to Tantalus, the anticipations surrounding the wedding, and her interactions with her cousin Penelope emphasize the fact that these women must carefully navigate a patriarchal world in which their own choices are often circumscribed by external expectations.